Chipstead trio called up for regional rugby squad

By lpoynton

Three Chipstead players have been selected to be part of the regional London & South East U16 Rugby squad.

Ben Axten Burrett, Elliot McLean and Nathan Yarde are part of a 24 man squad for the first Divisional Festival of the season at Broadstreet RFC near Coventry this weekend.

London & South East will take on the North Division at 2pm on Friday, and face the South West Division at 11.15am on Sunday.

There are 10 backs and 14 forwards in the squad which was selected after a two-day development camp involving 32 players at St Albans School on January 3-4.

Harrison George, the Norwich School hooker in his second season representing the division, will be captain and the squad includes scrum half Fred Guillford and lock Tom Crawford after their recovery from a broken fibula and ankle injury respectively.

David Turner, chairman of the London & South East U16 selectors, said: "We believe we have another strong squad this year, following on from last season's when our division supplied 16 players to the two England U16 teams.

"During the inter-county matches in the autumn there were 284 boys looked at and graded, following which 98 players were invited to the first trial."

The boys not involved this weekend are all in contention to play in the second Divisional Festival on January 23-25, when London & South East will take on the Midlands, followed by a match featuring a combined London/South West team against a North and Midlands combination.

The London & South East U16 also have fixtures arranged in March against Irish provinces Leinster and Munster.

Backs (10):

Jack Masters (The King's School, Canterbury) Kent, full back

Elliot McLean (Woodcote High School & Chipstead RFC) Surrey, wing

Nathan Yarde (Trinity School, Croydon & Chipstead RFC) Surrey, wing

David Onyeme (Langley School, Norwich) Eastern Counties, wing

Elliott Daly (Whitgift School & Dorking RFC) Surrey, centre

Ben Axten Burrett (John Fisher School, Purley & Chipstead RFC) Surrey, centre

Sam Hill (Queen Elizabeth's School, Crediton) Devon, centre

Rob Stephen (The King's School, Canterbury) Kent, fly half

Joseph Srokowski (Norwich School & Norwich RFC) Eastern Counties, scrum half

Fred Gulliford (St George's School, Harpenden & Old Albanians RFC) Hertfordshire, scrum half.

Forwards (14):

Nick Auterac (Mill Hill School & Saracens RFC) Middlesex, prop

Kyle Sinkler (Graveney School & London Scottish FC) Surrey, prop

Harrison George (Norwich School & Norwich RFC) Eastern Counties, hooker

Tom Crozier (Royal Grammar School, Colchester & Colchester RFC) Eastern Counties, hooker

Callum Black (Swanmore College & Winchester RFC) Hampshire, hooker

David Coutts (Mill Chase CTC & Cobham RFC) Hampshire, prop

Kieron Ball (Felsted School & Romford and Gidea Park RFC) Essex, prop

George Merrick (Carshalton Boys Sports College & London Scottish FC) Surrey, lock

Tom Crawford (Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School & Blackheath FC) Kent, lock

Jack Haddow (Watford Grammar School & Wasps FC) Middlesex, lock

Herbi Butler (Oratory School, Reading & Old Rutlishians RFC) Surrey, flanker

Tom Knight (Reepham High School & North Walsham RFC) Eastern Counties, flanker

Matt Hankin (Langley Park School & Blackheath FC) Kent, flanker

Alex Stout (Royal Grammar School, Guildford & Cobham RFC) Surrey, No 8